You’ve heard it over and over and over again – money doesn’t buy you happiness. As it turns out, that might only be half true.
Recent research from New York’s Cornell University has shown that we are at our happiest when we experience, rather than material possessions. The study’s been going for two decades, lead by Dr. Thomas Gilovich, who says that “one of the enemies of happiness is adaptation. We buy things to make us happy, and we succeed, but only for a while. New things are exciting to us at first, but then we adapt.” Think of it like routine, you get bored doing the same thing the same way, and a possession is the same – you might really enjoy it for a while but that’s because it’s new and unfamiliar.
Don’t get too worried though, your piles and piles of cash can still help you crack a more memorable smile. Gilovich goes on to say that experiences are a whole different ballgame. “In contrast, your experiences really are part of you. We are the sum total of our experiences,” whereas possessions “remain separate from [who you are].”
So, the prognosis for happiness? See as much music as you can! Splash out the cash you’ve got on the festivals that you’re not sure you can quite afford, the small club nights and do and see as much possible. I’m sure that Splendour or Falls or Strawberry Fields or whatever 2k14 or 2k-whatever is a much more prominent memory in your mind than whatever you just ordered from ASOS will be.